Saint Paul, Minnesota
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For an overview of the Twin Cities metropolitan area, see Minneapolis-Saint Paul.
| Saint Paul, Minnesota | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Minnesota | ||
| Counties | Ramsey | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Chris Coleman (DFL) | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 56.2 sq mi (145.5 km²) | ||
| - Land | 52.8 sq mi (136.7 km²) | ||
| - Water | 3.4 sq mi (8.8 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 702 ft (214 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - City | 287,151 | ||
| - Density | 5,438/sq mi (2,100.6/km²) | ||
| - Metro | 2,968,805 | ||
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) | ||
| Website: http://www.stpaul.gov/ | |||
Saint Paul (in French "Saint-Paul") is the capital and the second most populous city of the state of Minnesota in the Midwestern portion of the United States and is the county seat of Ramsey County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 287,151, although that number had decreased to 276,963 in the 2004 Census estimates. In 2000 the U.S. Census Bureau considered referring to the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area as simply Minneapolis, which brought an outcry from many St. Paul residents as well as then Mayor Norm Coleman. The 2000 census’ list of metropolitan populations did indeed continue to include St. Paul in its name for the area. The city is now perhaps best known for its favorite sons, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Charles M. Schulz, but in 1820, it was an extreme outpost in the wild west, where Indians, European explorers and American soldiers (from neighboring Fort Snelling, just upstream on the Mississippi River) lived in close proximity. Saint Paul and the adjacent city of Minneapolis form the core of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Of the two Twin Cities, St. Paul might be described as a somewhat bookish brother to Minneapolis in that it is festooned with small liberal arts colleges, tightly adherent to tradition, fastidious in its street level presentation, and less interested in the high-rise, glass sheathed architecture meant to be appreciated by “angels and aviators.”
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[edit] History
About 2000 years ago the Hopewell culture Native Americans lived in the vicinity, burying their dead in mounds, now located in Indian Mounds Park. The Dakota Indians later used the same site to bury their dead.[1][2] From about 1600 to 1837 the Dakota Indians lived near the site of the Mounds.[1] In the early 1800s a disparate group of fur traders, explorers, and missionaries came to the area for the protection that Fort Snelling offered. Many of these people had come south from Canada and were of French descent; others had come from the east after treaties with Native Americans officially opened the area.
In the early years, the settlers lived close to the fort along the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, but as a whiskey trade started to flourish, the military officers in Fort Snelling banned them from the lands the fort controlled, with one retired fur trader turned bootlegger, Pierre "Pig's Eye" Parrant particularly irritating the officials. By the early 1820s the area had become important as a trading center, a destination for settlers heading west, and was known as Pig's Eye Landing. In 1837, a treaty between Henry Schoolcraft and about 200 Dakota Indians displaced the natives from the site.[1] In 1841 Father Galtier established the Saint Paul Catholic Church and the name of the settlement was formally changed to Saint Paul in honor of the newly constructed church and Father Galtier's favorite saint.
The next 10 years saw continued growth in the area and in response to that, the Minnesota Territory was formalized in 1849 with St Paul named as its capital. In 1850, the city narrowly survived a proposed law to move the capital to Saint Peter when territorial legislator, Joe Rolette disappeared with the approved bill.[3] In 1854, Saint Paul incorporated as a city and, in 1858, Minnesota was admitted to the union with Saint Paul becoming the 32nd state capital.
Natural geography played a role in the settlement and development of Saint Paul as a trade and transportation center. The Mississippi River valley in this area is defined by a series of stone bluffs that line both sides of the river. Saint Paul grew up around Lambert's Landing, the last place to unload boats coming upriver at an easily accessible point, some seven miles downstream from Saint Anthony Falls, the geographic feature that defined the location of Minneapolis and its prominence as the Mill City. This made Saint Paul a gateway to the Upper Midwest for westbound settlers heading for the Minnesota frontier or the Dakota Territory. A cart and wagon road to the Red River valley was the first manifestation, followed by the establishment of numerous railroads that were headquartered in Saint Paul, such as the Great Northern Railway and Northern Pacific Railway, which are today part of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. For well over a hundred years, Saint Paul was a frontier town and a railroad town. Today it is more influenced by commerce and its function as the state capital.
[edit] Geography
Saint Paul is located in east-central Minnesota. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 145.5 km² (56.2 mi²). 136.7 km² (52.8 mi²) of it is land and 8.8 km² (3.4 mi²) of it (6.07%) is water. The Mississippi River runs through the city, and forms a municipal boundary on the city's west, southwest and southeast sides. Minneapolis, the state's larger city lies to the west; Falcon Heights, Lauderdale, Roseville, and Maplewood are north; Maplewood is also to the east; the cities of West Saint Paul and South Saint Paul are to the south; and Lilydale, Mendota and Mendota Heights lie across the river from the city to the south. The city's largest lakes are Pig's Eye Lake, in the river, Lake Phalen, and Lake Como.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high °F (°C) | 23 (-5) | 30 (-1) | 42 (6) | 58 (14) | 71 (22) | 79 (26) | 83 (28) | 81 (27) | 72 (22) | 59 (15) | 41 (5) | 27 (-3) |
| Avg low temperature °F (°C) | 6 (-14) | 12 (-11) | 24 (-4) | 36 (2) | 48 (9) | 58 (14) | 63 (17) | 61 (16) | 52 (11) | 40 (4) | 26 (-3) | 12 (-11) |
[edit] Demographics
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1860 | 10,401 |
| 1870 | 20,030 |
| 1880 | 41,473 |
| 1890 | 133,156 |
| 1900 | 163,065 |
| 1910 | 214,744 |
| 1920 | 234,698 |
| 1930 | 271,606 |
| 1940 | 287,736 |
| 1950 | 311,349 |
| 1960 | 313,411 |
| 1970 | 309,980 |
| 1980 | 270,230 |
| 1990 | 272,235 |
| 2000 | 287,151 |
As of the census² of 2000, there were 287,151 people, 112,109 households, and 60,987 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,101.0/km² (5,441.7/mi²). There were 115,713 housing units at an average density of 846.6/km² (2,192.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 67.02% White, 11.71% African American, 1.13% Native American, 12.36% Asian (mostly Hmong and Vietnamese), 0.07% Pacific Islander, 3.84% from other races, and 3.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race (incl. white) were 7.91% of the population. Saint Paul has one of the world's largest contingents of urban Hmong populations.
There were 112,109 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.1% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.6% were individuals. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,774, and the median income for a family was $48,925. Males had a median income of $35,111 versus $29,432 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,216. About 11.7% of families and 15.6% of the population were living below the poverty line, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Religion
The majority of residents claiming religious affiliation are Christian, split between the Roman Catholic Church and various sects of Protestantism. There are also several Jewish synagogues and relatively small populations of Hindus, Muslims, Buddists, and Pagans.[4]
[edit] Neighborhoods
Saint Paul is noted for its neighborhoods; the city has been called "fifteen small towns with one mayor", owing to the neighborhood-based life of much of the city.
The city's fifteen main neighborhoods include:
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The "West" Side neighborhood seems oddly located to the south, but is so named because it is on the west bank of the Mississippi River.
[edit] Government and politics
[edit] City
The city's current mayor is Chris Coleman, a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL). Coleman spent eight years working in Hennepin County as a public defender and prosecutor. Proposals to build a metal shredder along the Mississippi River in Saint Paul inspired his first run for the Saint Paul City Council. Mayor Coleman represented Saint Paul's Ward 2 from 1997 to 2003. Currently, he is also an investment management consultant working with non-profit organizations and is also president of United Family Practice Clinic (serving people without insurance and/or with low income). Ann Mulholland serves as Chief of Staff, having replaced Dennis Flaherty when Coleman was elected.
As of 2006: The Saint Paul City Council includes
- Debbie Montgomery, Ward 1
- Dave Thune, Ward 2
- Pat Harris, Ward 3
- Jay Benanav, Ward 4
- Lee Helgen, Ward 5
- Dan Bostrom, Ward 6
- Kathy Lantry, City Council President, Ward 7
The city has had three mayors who were natives of Ireland, William Dawson, Christopher D. O'Brien, and Frank Doran. Other Irish-American mayors of Saint Paul include: William Mahoney, William H. Fallon, John J. McDonough, Edward K. Delaney, John C. Daubney, Joseph E. Dillon, Thomas R. Byrne, Randy Kelly, and the current mayor, Chris Coleman.
[edit] State
Saint Paul is the capital of the state of Minnesota. The city hosts the capitol building, designed by Cass Gilbert, and the house and senate office buildings. The governor's mansion, which is used for some state functions, is on Summit Avenue.
[edit] Federal
Saint Paul is located in Minnesota's 4th congressional district, represented by Betty McCollum, a progressive Democrat, scoring 91% progressive by a progressive group[5] and 13% conservative by a conservative group[6] on a range of issues.
Saint Paul's Xcel Energy Center will be the host of the 2008 Republican National Convention.
[edit] Education
Saint Paul supports a robust network of publicly-funded primary and secondary schools. It is also home to three private secondary prep-schools, three public and eight private colleges and universities, and five post-secondary institutions. Well-known colleges and universities include: the College of Saint Catherine, Concordia University, Hamline University, Macalester College, and the University of St. Thomas. Metropolitan State University and Saint Paul College, which focus on non-traditional students, are based in Saint Paul, as is William Mitchell College of Law.
The St. Paul Public Schools serve approximately 41,000 K-12 students (2006–07 school year), with approximately two-thirds representing children of color and many different native language backgrounds.
The school district is led by Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Meria Carstarphen, and governed by a seven-member board of education, each elected at-large for four-year staggered terms. Current board members are Elona Street-Stewart (chair); Kazoua Kong-Thao (Vice Chair); Tom Conlon (clerk); Tom Goldstein (Treasurer), John Brodrick (Director), Anne Carroll (Director) and Al Oertwig (Director).
The school district also oversees community education programs for pre-K and adult learners, including Early Childhood Family Education, GED Diploma, language programs and various learning opportunities for community members of all ages.
In 2006, the St. Paul Public Schools celebrated its 150th anniversary. Notable graduates of St. Paul Public Schools include former U.S. Supreme Court justices Harry Blackmun and Warren Burger, civil rights leader Roy Wilkins, creator of the Peanuts cartoon strip Charles Schultz, and many others from various professions and among notorious achievements.
A variety of K-12 private, parochial and public charter schools are also represented in the city. In 1993, St. Paul became the first city in the U.S. to sponsor and open a charter school, now found in most states across the nation.
[edit] Culture
[edit] Performing arts
- Ordway Center for the Performing Arts[7]
- RiverCentre, which serves as the city's civic center
- The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
- The Fitzgerald Theater
[edit] City attractions
Additional attractions include the Mississippi River, Lake Como, the Como Zoo and Conservatory, Rice Park, Indian Mounds Park, Battle Creek Regional Park, Harriet Island Regional Park, Highland Park, the Saint Paul Winter Carnival, the Landmark Center, the Wabasha Street Caves, and the Cathedral of Saint Paul. The historic Landmark Center is located at the heart of Saint Paul; it is home to Stepping Stone Theatre, a youth theater company and the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, a high school located on the 5th floor of the building which is sponsored by the Ordway.
[edit] Nearby attractions
Nearby attractions include the Minnesota State Fair. The fair is open during the two weeks prior to and including Labor Day. It takes place in the suburb of Falcon Heights, just north of the Midway neighborhood. Immediately west of the state fairgrounds is the Saint Paul Campus of the University of Minnesota. Historic Fort Snelling lies on the bluff above the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers. Just below the bluff is Fort Snelling State Park,[8] which incorporates Pike Island named for the explorer Zebulon Pike. The Henry Hastings Sibley home, in Mendota is the oldest stone home in Minnesota. And Bloomington's Mall of America boasts 520 stores and an indoor amusement park.
[edit] The city's famed creators
Saint Paul is the birthplace of renowned author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, as well as the childhood home of cartoonist Charles M. Schulz (Peanuts) who, while born in a Minneapolis hospital, lived from infancy until the early 1960s in the city. Because of the association with Schulz, Saint Paul regularly has events centering around the Snoopy family, such as distributing painted and decorated giant Peanuts sculptures around the city. Playwright August Wilson lived in the city from 1978 until 1990, at the suggestion of his friend director Claude Purdy, who helped him secure a job writing educational scripts for the Science Museum of Minnesota. Renowned painter LeRoy Neiman is also a native of Saint Paul and was born there in 1927.
[edit] Museums
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[edit] Shopping and eating
Grand Avenue is a much-frequented street for Saint Paul locals. The shopping includes boutiques and brand name stores and the dining on Grand Avenue makes it a favorite destination for people in and around Saint Paul. The intersection of Grand and Snelling features the premier bakery Breadsmith, Jamba Juice, and a Saint Paul original, Dunn Brothers Coffee. Other notable restaurants on Grand Avenue include: Cafe Latte, Wuollet Bakery, The Lexington and The Grand Ol' Creamery.
The Cathedral Hill area, centered on Selby and Western Avenues, is home to some of the best dining in the Twin Cities. Establishments range from traditional bars and pubs (such as Costello's and the Muddy Pig) to the upscale fine dining of W.A. Frost and Moscow on the Hill. In addition to fine dining, the area is also home to the College of Visual Arts and the Saint Paul Curling Club, the largest member-owned club of its kind in the United States.
[edit] Economy
[edit] Major employers
Major corporations headquartered in Saint Paul include St Paul Travelers, a major insurance firm, St. Jude Medical, a manufacturer of medical devices, Ecolab, a chemical and cleaning product company, Patterson, a dental and veterinary supply company, Minnesota Life an insurance company, Lawson Software, a business software and support company, and Gander Mountain, a retailer of sporting goods.
[edit] Media
Residents of Saint Paul can receive 10 broadcast television stations, five of which broadcast from within Saint Paul. One daily newspaper, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, one weekly neighborhood newspaper, the East Side Review, and several monthly neighborhood papers serve the city. Several media outlets based in neighboring Minneapolis also serve the Saint Paul community, including the Star Tribune. And the magazine, Saint Paul Illustrated is published in Bloomington.
[edit] Sports
| Club | Sport | League | Venue | Championships |
| Minnesota Wild | Ice Hockey | National Hockey League; Western | Xcel Energy Center | |
| Saint Paul Saints | Baseball | American Association; North Division | Midway Stadium | Northern League Championship: 1993, 1995, 1996, 2004 |
| Minnesota Thunder | Soccer | USL First Division | James Griffin Stadium | |
| Minnesota Swarm | Indoor lacrosse | National Lacrosse League; Eastern Division | Xcel Energy Center | |
| Minnesota Ripknees | Basketball | American Basketball Association; White Conference | Gangelhoff Center |
The Minnesota Timberwolves, Twins, and Vikings all play in Minneapolis
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Ground transportation
- See also: Midway (Amtrak station)
Most of the citizens of Saint Paul utilize a car to move throughout the region, although the bus system, provided by Metro Transit, is also used by many. Metro Transit operates the Hiawatha Line, a light rail transit system, which connects downtown Minneapolis with the Mall of America. It serves Saint Paul via coordinated buses from the train stations. The Central Corridor, which would connect downtown Minneapolis to downtown St. Paul, is in the planning stages.
In the downtown area, buildings are connected by a skyway system in which buildings are directly connected to each other above street level, and pedestrians may walk from one building to another without going outside. Another mode of transportation gaining popularity in Saint Paul is biking, especially with the advent of additional bike lanes throughout the city and the metropolitan area. Bike trails interconnect with those of Minneapolis and other neighboring cities and Metro Transit buses feature bike racks for combination commuters.
The layout of streets around downtown Saint Paul has often drawn complaints. Jesse Ventura famously brought up the city's roadways during an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman in his days as Governor of Minnesota. Ventura drew a lot of criticism for his remark that the streets had been designed by "drunken Irishmen," although people had already been complaining about the fractured grid system for more than a century by that point. Some of the city road design is the result of the curve of the Mississippi River, conflicts between leaders of different neighborhoods in the early city, and grand plans only half-realized. Outside of downtown, the roads are less confusing, but many roads are named, rather than numbered, increasing the difficulty for non-natives to navigate. Due to neighborhood autonomy, some roads suddenly change names without warning.
Interstate Highways that serve the city are Interstate 35E running N-S, and Interstate 94 running E-W. Other freeways within the city limits include U.S. Highway 52, Minnesota State Highway 280, and Minnesota State Highway 5.
[edit] Air transportation
The major airport for the area is the Minneapolis/Saint Paul International Airport. It is a hub for Northwest Airlines and Sun Country Airlines, but is also served by most major carriers. Saint Paul is also served by the smaller St. Paul Downtown Airport.
[edit] Twin cities
Saint Paul is twinned with:
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[edit] References
- ^ a b c Trimble, Steve (July 2, 2000). A SHORT HISTORY OF INDIAN MOUNDS PARK. Neighborhood Pride Celebration. daytonsbluff.org. Retrieved on December 7, 2006.
- ^ Indian Mounds Park. Mississippi National River and recreation Area. National Park Service. Retrieved on December 7, 2006.
- ^ Joe Rolette, Fur Trader and Legislator. Trolley Namesakes. The city of St. Paul. Retrieved on December 13, 2006.
- ^ American Religious Identification Survey. Exhibit 15. The Graduate Center, City University of New York. Retrieved on November 24, 2006.
- ^ Grossman, Joshua. ProgressivePunch Leading with the Left. All Issues. ProgressivePunch. Retrieved on November 2, 2006.
- ^ Congressional Voting Scorecard 2005 (pdf). SBE Council’s Congressional Voting Scorecard 2005. Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (June, 2006). Retrieved on November 2, 2006.
- ^ Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. Ordway Center for the Performing Arts (2006). Retrieved on December 7, 2006.
- ^ Fort Snelling State Park. Minnesota DNR (2006). Retrieved on December 7, 2006.
- ^ St. Paul Culture:Museums. M.R. Danielson Advertising Associates (2002). Retrieved on December 7, 2006.
[edit] External links
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- Official city website
- Official tourism site
- Saint Paul E-Democracy discussion list
- The City of Saint Paul Department of Parks and Recreation, a list of city parks, programming, recreation centers, opening hours and other information.
- Saint Paul Public Library
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
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